Spring remains illusive in North County. We had lots of rain over the past couple of days with temperatures in the low to mid 40s. This morning’s wake up temp was 22 degrees and our high today is expected to top out at 27. The wind chill sits at 11 degrees…not exactly “work in the garden” kind of temps. But not unusual for the first two weeks of April either. The woodstove is back in business after a week or so reprieve.

We do have some signs of spring though. The peepers (a very small chorus frog that lives in the northeast U.S. and Canada, for those unfamiliar) began their evening chorus on March 31st — they are usually the truest herald of spring’s arrival. The poor things are going to be in for a shock over the next few days though, with overnights anticipated to be in the low teens. They’ll be burying themselves back in the muddy bottom of the bogs.

On the flower front, the hellebores and snowbells are in bloom — about a week earlier than last year.

The daffs, tulips, camassia lilies and alliums broke through the ground a couple of weeks ago, but it will be weeks before they bloom. Looking forward to seeing the blues and purples of the camassia and allium, offset by the yellow narcissus and tulips, under the blossoming crab apple.